INSIGHTS CURRENT AFFAIRS ( 31 October 2020) REVISION THROUGH MCQS

Ans: (c)

Explanation:

• S1: According to the Press Information Bureau, a form of the MCC was first introduced in the state assembly elections in Kerala in 1960. It was a set of instructions to political parties regarding election meetings, speeches, slogans, etc. In the 1962 general elections to the Lok Sabha, the MCC was circulated to recognised parties, and state governments sought feedback from the parties.  The MCC was largely followed by all parties in the 1962 elections and continued to be followed in subsequent general elections. In 1979, the Election Commission added a section to regulate the ‘party in power’ and prevent it from gaining an unfair advantage at the time of elections.  In 2013, the Supreme Court directed the Election Commission to include guidelines regarding election manifestos, which it has included in the MCC for the 2014 general elections.
• S2: Is the Model Code of Conduct legally binding?
  • The MCC is not enforceable by law. However, certain provisions of the MCC may be enforced through invoking corresponding provisions in other statutes such as the Indian Penal Code, 1860, Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, and Representation of the People Act, 1951.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2020/10/31/who-is-a-star-campaigner-3/

Ans: (b)

Explanation:

• S1: Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act was passed in 2013.
  • An aggrieved victim is a woman “of any age whether employed or not”, who “alleges to have been subjected to any act of sexual harassment”.
  • The Act thus covers the rights of all women working or visiting any workplace, in any capacity.
• S2 and S3: Every employer must constitute an Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) at each office or branch with 10 or more employees.
• For the ICC to act, it is not compulsory that the victim must write a complaint.
• If the woman is unable to make a complaint on account of her “physical or mental incapacity or death or otherwise”, her legal heir may do so.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2020/10/31/new-wage-code-bars-bonus-for-those-facing-sex-abuse-charges/

Ans: (d)

Explanation:

• S1: The Food Corporation of India is an organization created and run by the Government of India. It is a statutory body under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution
• S2: The Food Corporation of India procures Paddy, Wheat and Coarse grain from farmers through many routes like paddy purchase centres/mill levy/custom milling and stores them in depots refer: Systems of procurement of grains https://fci.gov.in/procurements.php?view=89

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2020/10/31/what-is-rural-development-fund/

Ans: (b)

Explanation:

• The Olive ridley turtles are the smallest and most abundant of all sea turtles found in the world.
• They inhabit warm waters of the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans.
• These turtles, along with their cousin the Kemps ridley turtle, are best known for their unique mass nesting called Arribada, where thousands of females come together on the same beach to lay eggs.
• Rushikulya rookery coast in the Ganjam district of Odisha, Gahirmatha beach and the mouth of the Debi River, are the major nesting sites in Odisha.

Refer: Facts for Prelims: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2020/10/31/159873/

Ans: (b)

Explanation:

Refer: Facts for Prelims: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2020/10/31/159873/

Ans: (a)

Explanation: Power scheme for women scientists:

• POWER- Promoting Opportunities for Women in Exploratory Research.
• It is a scheme to mitigate gender disparity in science and engineering research funding in various S&T programs in Indian academic institutions and R&D laboratories.
• Launched by the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), a Statutory body of the Department of Science and Technology (DST).
• It will have two components namely: (1) SERB-POWER Fellowship; (2) SERB- POWER Research Grants.

Refer: Facts for Prelims: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2020/10/31/159873/

Ans: (c)

Explanation:

• S1: The Wildlife Institute of India (WII), an autonomous institution under the Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate change, Government of India, was established in 1982.
• S2: The national tiger census or the All India Tiger Estimation, is done by WII along with NTCA and state forest departments.

Refer: Facts for Prelims: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2020/10/31/159873/

Ans: (d)

Explanation:

• The Economist Intelligence Unit has released the 2019 edition of Global Microscope on Financial Inclusion report.
• The 2019 edition of Global Microscope report features 11 new gender focussed indicators that measure financial inclusion for both women as well as men.
• The Microscope report was first published in 2007 and was originally developed for countries in Latin American and Caribbean regions but in 2009 it was expanded into a global study.

Refer: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2019/11/04/global-microscope-on-financial-inclusion-report/

Ans: (b)

Explanation:

• Unified Payments Interface (UPI)
• Unified Payments Interface (UPI) is a system that powers multiple bank accounts into a single mobile application (of any participating bank), merging several banking features, seamless fund routing & merchant payments into one hoo It also caters to the “Peer to Peer” collect request which can be scheduled and paid as per requirement and convenience.
• With the above context in mind, NPCI conducted a pilot launch with 21 member banks.
• How is it unique?
  • Immediate money transfer through mobile device round the clock 24*7 and 365 days.
  • Single mobile application for accessing different bank accounts.
  • Single Click 2 Factor Authentication – Aligned with the Regulatory guidelines, yet provides for a very strong feature of seamless single click payment.
  • Virtual address of the customer for Pull & Push provides for incremental security with the customer not required to enter the details such as Card no, Account number; IFSC etc.
  • Bill Sharing with friends.
  • Best answer to Cash on Delivery hassle, running to an ATM or rendering exact amount.
  • Merchant Payment with Single Application or In-App Payments.
  • Utility Bill Payments, Over the Counter Payments, Barcode (Scan and Pay) based payments.
  • Donations, Collections, Disbursements Scalable.
  • Raising Complaint from Mobile App directly.

Refer: https://www.npci.org.in/product-overview/upi-product-overview

Ans: (b)

Explanation:

• The Indian Ocean Rim Association is an inter-governmental organisation which was established on 7 March 1997.
• The vision for IORA originated during a visit by late President Nelson Mandela of South Africa to India in 1995.
• IORA’s apex body is the Council of Foreign Ministers (COM) which meets annually. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) assumed the role of Chair since November 2019 – November 2021, followed by the People’s Republic of Bangladesh. A committee of Senior Officials (CSO) meets twice a year to progress IORA’s agenda and consider recommendations by Working Groups and forums of officials, business and academics to implement policies and projects to improve the lives of people within the Indian Ocean Member States.
• The Indian Ocean Dialogue (IOD) is a flagship initiative of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), with its origins in the 13th Council of Ministers meeting, held in November 2013 in Perth, Australia.

Refer: https://www.iora.int/en/about/about-iora